Peer feedback as part of collaborative learning in medical students – Navigating the challenges for Malaysian students

Background Peer feedback is the process of students providing constructive comments to fellow students in a formative manner to help develop and improve their skills. Peer feedback underpins the educational principle of collaborative learning accomplishing interpersonal skills and group accountability. However, there are various factors documented in the literature that affect providing peer feedback. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by Malaysian medical students in providing peer feedback to formulate target measures in future to combat those specific challenges enhancing the benefits of peer feedback to enhance collaborative learning and achievement of the core competency of providing constructive feedback to team members. It answers the research question - Can peer feedback improve collaborative learning in medical students - navigating the challenges for Malaysian students? Methods Focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted using purposive sampling for the fourth-year medical students who completed the Anaesthesia placement to explore the specific challenges for these students in terms of providing constructive peer feedback. FGD were recorded and transcribed. Data was analysed using the inductive approach of thematic analysis. Results Three themes were identified from two FGD, conducted with 12 students:  tailored feedback, knowledge and experience, and individual perception and cultural acceptability. Conclusion Peer feedback encourages collaborative learning in the Malaysian context. However, the challenges of providing peer feedback such as affecting peer relationships, feeling inefficient to provide comments and being judged based on the comments are not limited to the ‘country culture’. The onus lies on the facilitators to create a psychologically safe learning environment to optimize the benefits of peer feedback. Take home message Peer feedback has the potential to enhance collaborative learning, provided it is done in a psychologically safe learning environment.